Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth: Visions of future systems and how to get there
Journal article, 2020
Formalised knowledge systems, including universities and research institutes, are important for contemporary societies. They are, however, also arguably failing humanity when their impact is measured against the level of progress being made in stimulating the societal changes needed to address challenges like climate change. In this research we used a novel futures-oriented and participatory approach that asked what future envisioned knowledge systems might need to look like and how we might get there. Findings suggest that envisioned future systems will need to be much more collaborative, open, diverse, egalitarian, and able to work with values and systemic issues. They will also need to go beyond producing knowledge about our world to generating wisdom about how to act within it. To get to envisioned systems we will need to rapidly scale methodological innovations, connect innovators, and creatively accelerate learning about working with intractable challenges. We will also need to create new funding schemes, a global knowledge commons, and challenge deeply held assumptions. To genuinely be a creative force in supporting longevity of human and non-human life on our planet, the shift in knowledge systems will probably need to be at the scale of the enlightenment and speed of the scientific and technological revolution accompanying the second World War. This will require bold and strategic action from governments, scientists, civic society and sustained transformational intent.
Sustainability science
Knowledge
Climate and energy research
Epistemology
Social-technical transitions
Transformation
Author
Ioan Fazey
University of York
Niko Alexander Schäpke
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory
Guido Caniglia
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research
Anthony Hodgson
H3Uni
Ian Kendrick
H3Uni
Christopher Lyon
University of Leeds
Glenn Page
LLC
James Patterson
Utrecht University
Chris Riedy
University of Technology Sydney
Tim Strasser
Maastricht University
Stephan Verveen
H3Uni
David Adams
H3Uni
Bruce Goldstein
University of Colorado at Boulder
Matthias Klaes
University of Buckingham
Graham Leicester
International Futures Forum
Alison Linyard
International Futures Forum
Adrienne McCurdy
H3Uni
Paul Ryan
Australian Resilience Centre
Bill Sharpe
International Futures Forum
Giorgia Silvestri
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Ali Yansyah Abdurrahim
Research Center for Population - Indonesian Institute of Sciences
David Abson
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Olufemi Samson Adetunji
University of Newcastle
Paulina Aldunce
University of Chile (UCH)
Carlos Alvarez-Pereira
Club of Rome
Jennifer Marie Amparo
Australian National University
Helene Amundsen
Cicero Senter for klimaforskning
Lakin Anderson
Uppsala University
Lotta Andersson
SMHI
Michael Asquith
European Environment Agency
Karoline Augenstein
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Jack Barrie
University of Strathclyde
David Bent
University College London (UCL)
Julia Bentz
University of Lisbon
Arvid Bergsten
Independent Consultant
Carol Berzonsky
Independent
Olivia Bina
University of Lisbon
Kirsty Blackstock
The James Hutton Institute
Joanna Boehnert
Loughborough University
Hilary Bradbury
Action Research Plus AR+ Foundation
Christine Brand
NELFT
Jessica Böhme (born Sangmeister)
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Marianne Mille Bøjer
Reos Partners
Esther Carmen
University of York
Lakshmi Charli-Joseph
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Sarah Choudhury
University of Queensland
Supot Chunhachoti-ananta
Srinakharinwirot University
Jessica Cockburn
Rhodes University
John Colvin
Emerald Network Ltd
Irena L.C. Connon
University of Dundee
Rosalind Cornforth
University of Reading
Robin S. Cox
Royal Roads University
Nicholas Cradock-Henry
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
Laura Cramer
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Almendra Cremaschi
CENIT (Centro de Investigación para la transformación)
Halvor Dannevig
Western Norway Research Institute
Catherine T. Day
Stetson University
Cathel de Lima Hutchison
University of Dundee
Anke de Vrieze
Wageningen University and Research
Vikas Desai
Urban Health and Climate Resilience Center of Excellence
Jonathan Dolley
University of Sussex
Dominic Duckett
The James Hutton Institute
Rachael Amy Durrant
University of Sussex
Markus Egermann
Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development
Emily Elsner (Adams)
Elsner Research and Consulting
Chris Fremantle
Robert Gordon University
Jessica Fullwood-Thomas
Oxfam GB
Diego Galafassi
Lund University
Jen Gobby
McGill University
Ami Golland
Stockholm University
Shiara Kirana González-Padrón
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Irmelin Gram-Hanssen
University of Oslo
Jakob Grandin
University of Bergen
Sara Grenni
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Jade Lauren Gunnell
University of Dundee
Felipe Gusmao
Federal University of São Paulo
Maike Hamann
University of Minnesota
Brian Harding
University of Massachusetts Boston
Gavin Harper
University of Birmingham
Mia Hesselgren
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Dina Hestad
University of Oxford
Cheryl Anne Heykoop
Royal Roads University
Johan Holmén
Kirsty Holstead
University of St Andrews
Claire Hoolohan
University of Manchester
Andra-Ioana Horcea-Milcu
University of Helsinki
Lummina Geertruida Horlings
University of Groningen
Stuart Mark Howden
Australian National University
Rachel Angharad Howell
University of Edinburgh
Sarah Insia Huque
University of St Andrews
Mirna Liz Inturias Canedo
Nur University
Chidinma Yvonne Iro
University of Dundee
Christopher D. Ives
University of Nottingham
Beatrice John
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Rajiv Joshi
The B Team
Sadhbh Juarez-Bourke
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Dauglas Wafula Juma
Macquarie University
Bea Cecilie Karlsen
University of Dundee
Lea Kliem
Institut für Ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung
Andreas Kläy
University of Bern
Petra Kuenkel
Collective Leadership Institute
Iris Kunze
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
David Patrick Michael Lam
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Daniel J. Lang
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Alice Larkin
University of Manchester
Ann Light
University of Sussex
Christopher Luederitz
University of Waterloo
Tobias Luthe
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH)
Cathy Maguire
European Environment Agency
Ana-Maria Mahecha-Groot
Rutgers University
Jackie Malcolm
University of Dundee
Fiona Marshall
University of Sussex
Yiheyis Maru
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Carly McLachlan
University of Manchester
Peter Mmbando
Epikaizo Care Initiative
Subhakanta Mohapatra
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Michele-Lee Moore
Stockholm University
Angela Moriggi
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Mark Morley-Fletcher
Independent Consultant
Susanne Moser
Susanne Moser Research and Consulting
Konstanze Marion Mueller
Independent Researcher
Mutizwa Mukute
Social Learning and Innovation Ltd
Susan Mühlemeier
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Lars Otto Naess
University of Sussex
Marta Nieto-Romero
University of Aveiro
Paula Novo
Scotland's Rural College
Karen ÓBrien
University of Oslo
Deborah A. O'Connell
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Kathleen O'Donnell
8 Cranham Terrace
Per Olsson
Stockholm University
Kelli Rose Pearson
Wageningen University and Research
Laura Pereira
Stellenbosch University
Panos Petridis
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Daniela Peukert
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Nicky Phear
University of Montana
Siri Renée Pisters
Natural Resource Institute Finland/Wageningen School of Social Sciences
Matt Polsky
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Diana Pound
Dialogue Matters
Rika Preiser
Stellenbosch University
Md. Sajidur Rahman
BRAC University
Mark S. Reed
Newcastle University
Philip Revell
Scottish Communities Climate Action Network
Iokiñe Rodriguez
Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Briony Cathryn Rogers
Monash University
Jascha Rohr
Institut für Partizipatives Gestalten
Milda Nordbø Rosenberg
University of Oslo
Helen Ross
University of Queensland
Shona Russell
University of St Andrews
Melanie Ryan
IUCN Conservation Centre
Probal Saha
University of Tennessee
Katharina Schleicher
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Flurina Schneider
University of Bern
Morgan Scoville-Simonds
University of Oslo
Beverley Searle
University of Dundee
Samuel Petros Sebhatu
Karlstad University
Elena Sesana
University of the West of Scotland
Howard Silverman
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Chandni Singh
Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)
Eleanor Sterling
American Museum of Natural History
Sarah-Jane Stewart
SNC Lavalin
J. David Tàbara
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Douglas Taylor
Wits Business School
P. Thornton
International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi
Theresa Margarete Tribaldos
University of Bern
Petra Tschakert
University of Western Australia
Natalia Uribe-Calvo
EUCO SAS
Steve Waddell
SDG Transformations Forum
Sandra Waddock
Boston College
Liza van der Merwe
Barbara van Mierlo
Wageningen University and Research
Patrick van Zwanenberg
Escuela de Economía y Negocios
Sandra Judith Velarde
Scion
Carla-Leanne Washbourne
University College London (UCL)
Kerry Waylen
The James Hutton Institute
Annika Weiser
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Ian Wight
University of Manitoba
Stephen Williams
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS)
Mel Woods
University of Dundee
Ruth Wolstenholme
Sniffer
Ness Wright
Llwyngwern Quarry
Stefanie Wunder
Ecologic Institute
Alastair Wyllie
Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School
Hannah R. Young
University of Reading
Energy Research and Social Science
22146296 (ISSN)
Vol. 70 101724Subject Categories
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Information Science
Information Systemes, Social aspects
DOI
10.1016/j.erss.2020.101724